This invention relates in general to the field of cattle stalls and more specifically to milking parlors having a unique and efficient entry and exit system.
A milking parlor generally consists of an array of individual stalls, each designed to hold a cow while she is being milked. An attendant or operator is usually required to be present at the parlor to perform such tasks as ensuring that the animals are properly situated in the stalls; washing the udders prior to milking; applying the milking unit; and monitoring and attending to the operation of the milking units.
In earlier prior art milking parlors, cows were placed in rectangular-shaped stalls arranged in either an end to end configuration or side by side (serial configuration). Subsequently, an improvement to the serial configuration was made by disposing the stalls in an angular configuration or the so-called herringbone configuration.
In the herringbone configuration, the milking parlor attendant works in a centrally located operator pit. With milking parlors of this type, it is important that the cows have room to move into the individual milking stalls and that they be moved into position against the rump rail to facilitate the milking procedure.
It is also important that once the milking has taken place, that the cows can be exited from the parlor as quickly as possible.
In the past, rotary reels moved to an exit position, but did nothing to urge the cows out of the milking stall. This resulted in cows languishing behind in the milking stalls, thus preventing the introduction of a new batch of cows into the parlor.
Prior art reel gates also did not assist in positioning the cow in the stall.